1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates particularly to systems and methods for providing network security and efficiency, and more particularly to systems and methods for implementing a private network infrastructure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corporate electronic networks are susceptible to unauthorized use and network attacks. In an effort to prevent such attacks or break-ins, corporations often use network firewalls or other security measures. Generally, the resulting protected network allows for unrestricted connectivity between known users or devices within the firewall. Users or devices from outside the firewall are restricted in their connectivity with the protected network. For example, a company-employee may be able to access any or all electronic documents or internal web sites within the corporate network, inside the firewall, and the employee may even be able to access other public web sites on the Internet or other networks outside of the firewall. However, a trade-partner, customer, or non-employee outside of the firewall may only have limited access, if any, through the firewall to the corporate documents and internal web sites.
The corporate firewall functions to receive, monitor, and re-direct incoming packets of information. Any data that is directed by a device or user to cross the firewall is queried by the firewall devices to ascertain if the data has the appropriate access privileges to continue to its intended destination. Data without the appropriate privileges or sent by an unauthorized user or device will not be forwarded through the firewall. The actual permissions and settings of the firewall are the implementation of the corporate network security policy.